Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Name those appendages!

So, last Friday (early!!!) I received my Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) in the mail.  Very exciting for a geek like me.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get an appointment with my Diabetes Educator until next week to learn how to use the silly thing.  So, it sits.  In the box(es).  Not that I didn't open it.  I did.  And, I took out each part, and stared, intimidated, at the thing that you insert it with.  Very wicked looking.  And, I mean wicked in the old person way...you know, negative.  Not the young person, cool way.  Eek!!  Not that I am afraid of needles...but that's really not the point.  And, I looked at the super thick instruction manual.  And held the tutorial disc.  And the accompanying software discs.  Oh dear!  SO much information.  And technical stuff.  The geek side of me thinks it is SO COOL...and the other, less geeky side of me is intimidated and a little overwhelmed.

Now, if I haven't explained this to you, and you don't already know, the CGM is a machine-type thing that has a little attachment that goes on/in my tummy (a little bigger than the size of a quarter) that stays there for a week, then I move it.  It checks my sugar levels from the tissue fluid, which is just a little behind the blood sugar levels.  So, quite accurate, just a bit behind.  It checks every 5 minutes, then sends the info (wirelessly) to a receiver, which hangs out on or near me.  I can program it for certain high numbers and low numbers, and as my sugar levels approach those parameters, an alarm will go off and let me know, so I can correct it, however that needs to be done (insulin or glucose).  It'll also let me know whether my sugar levels are trending up or down, or steady or what.  For control freak-type people like me, this is potentially awesome!  Or, overwhelming.  We shall see which.  Most likely both...depending on the situation...or the day...hour....minute.

I was reading another diabetic blog and checking out a new diabetic website and I realized that another girl had named her CGM (Dexter).  Same brand as mine, so logical name.  Well, I was thinking about naming mine.  And, it'll have to be a name that goes with my pump, which isn't yet named either. I am thinking that they should go together somehow...you know, rhyme or something clever.  However, I am not feeling clever, and need help.  (I do have a ganglion cyst on my left hand that has been coming and going for years which I have named Fred.  So, that name is taken.)  Since they are (or will be...) attached to me, I am thinking that I want them to have girl names. 

Any ideas?  Unfortunately, I don't have anything fun to raffle off to the winner or anything like that, so you'll just have to do it for the fun of it, and for the great gratification of knowing that you helped me name my newest appendages.  :)

Let the names begin!!!

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